How can I remove this large gap above my footnotes in MS Word 2003? I've checked all the usual stuff like paragraphs settings, including for the Normal & Footnote styles.

This is the first set of footnotes in a new document, so can't be a hangover from a previous document.

Edit: I got bored trying to fix it and just pasted the text in and out of Notepad++ (to strip any weird Word formatting) into a blank document and all is now fine. I've seen a few other questions on the web asking about the same issue, so I presume it is genuine bug.

In order to get use this answer in Word 2007, you should follow these steps:

First, put the document in "Draft" view.

Second, go to References tab and click the "Show notes" button next to "Insert Footnote"

Third, select "Footnote separator" from the drop-down menu, and you will probably find a paragraph inserted after the line that separates the footnotes from the text (similar to the print-screens above).

This should easily solve the problem, as usually it is not a style problem.

Yes, there are pilcrows between the footnote separator and the footnotes themselves, but they are greyed out and can't be deleted. I've checked all styles that I can think could possibly be relevant and none have paragraph settings that would cause this.
– LunatikSep 4 '09 at 13:03

2

You have to be in the correct mode to edit the footnote separator: 1) Select Menu->View->Normal 2) Double Click on the footnote reference number. 3) You should see the footnote and above it you should see a drop down that says "All Footnotes". Change it to "Footnote Separator". You should then be able to remove the extra paragraphs. There is also a "Reset" button you can click but that may just bring back to the separator format that has the extra lines. 4) Go to Menu->View>Print Layout and the extra lines should be gone.
– user2690Sep 4 '09 at 15:21

Answers are displayed in varying positions, so there is no way to know which answer you're referring to, or how much of that answer is necessary to augment your answer. Please identify which answer you're referring to, and if necessary, expand your answer so it's self contained (other answers can be modified or deleted). Thanks.
– fixer1234Jun 20 '15 at 17:39